South Florida Crime

MIAMI GARDENS (CBSMiami) – A veteran Miami-Dade officer shot a man who reportedly tried to run him down with his car.

CBS4 has learned that the suspect, 23-year-old Joshua Lamarq Frazier, has been arrested twice before for fleeing and eluding police.

The incident happened Sunday evening just before 11 p.m. on northbound I-75 near Miami Gardens.

The officer, who is assigned to the airport district, was on his way home when he saw two vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed. Even though he was off duty, the officer attempted to pull the vehicles over. One of the drivers, a teen, complied.

Investigators said the second driver, who they identified as Frazier,in a silver BMW, had other ideas.

Miami-Dade Detective Alvaro Zabaleta said the officer got out of his car and “was motioning the second vehicle to pull over. That vehicle did begin to pull over in the emergency lane, (the driver) was able to make eye contact with the officer and at that point he decided to speed off from the scene at the officer.”

The officer, fearing for his life, pulled his gun and fired multiple shots at the car striking Frazier in the stomach, according to police.
The officer, who is a 26-year law enforcement veteran, was not injured. Zabaleta said this is an example of officers doing their job even when off the clock.

“Even though the officer was traveling home after completing his shift, all of the officers are never off, especially if something is happening in their presence; whether it’s a crime or in this case, we had two vehicles traveling at a high rate of speed, putting other citizens in danger,” said Zabaleta.

Frazier, who was shot in the stomach, was airlifted to the Ryder Trauma Center where he underwent surgery. A friend of his told CBS4 she doesn’t believe he would ever intend to hurt or kill a police officer.

The driver of the first car which stopped was not charged and released.

CBS4 has learned Frazier has been in trouble before. Records show he was arrested in 2012 for grand theft, twice in 2013 for fleeing and eluding police and he was arrested this year for marijuana possession and grand theft.